Family & Friends

We Nurture Old and Young

Our families, whether they are large or small, adventurous or traditional, provide the foundation from which we construct our lives. Through stories of generations past and the environment in which we grew up, we form the significant building blocks of our lives. In some cases we retain the values we grew up with or sometimes we run away to find something new. Either way, our families and friends provide us with context and texture, they are both witnesses and participants in the events of our lives.

In Marian’s Voice

How do we build a continuum of friendships?

I used to divide my friends into “old,” those with whom I share a lifetime of memories; and “new,” those I have come to know through a particular life place, like motherhood, working woman or graduate student. I now see my friends in less rigid categories, and as a continuum of friendships that keeps building over time. While it is critically important for me to retain long-term relationships, I have to keep my eyes and spirit alert to the potential of new and emerging friendships. I now have the freedom to find acquaintances wherever I want and wherever I see the potential for building trust, the singularly most important component of friendship.

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My Place Among Family and Friends

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About Marian

Marian Leah Knapp, Ph.D., wants to start a new conversation about “aging with intent.” Much of what is written about elders is from the point of view of physicians, psychiatrists, gerontologists, and adult children. In her roles as author, columnist, speaker and elder activist, Marian is reporting from the front lines.Full biography